Commonwealth v. Steadward

When complaints charging the defendant with motor vehicle violations were dismissed on the basis that the police had failed to issue a timely citation as required by G. L. c. 90C, § 2, the Commonwealth took no appeal. Almost five months later, a person injured by the defendant applied under G. L. c. 90C, §■ 4, for complaints identical to those that had been dismissed. Although complaints did issue, a District Court judge dismissed them on double jeopardy grounds. The Commonwealth appeals. It argues that the defendant was never put in jeopardy on the earlier complaints and that in the absence…